Cat on the prowl

Okay, so I'm sitting at the computer going through my nightly activities when a horrible sound fills the room.

Is it the kids? No, they're sleeping.

Did Pete turn on the radio for his shower? I think not.

Then I hear the loud sound again and recognize it at once. I am drawn to the big window at the front of our house and take a look. Sure enough, there it sits- all cunning and majestic- right under my precious birdfeeder. You guessed it- a cat! I stare at the big orange tabby staring back at me and quickly close the curtains. Then I slowly open the curtains just enough to take another peak, and the cat is still there looking at me.

I rush to the back of the house to grab my hero before he steps into the shower, but Katie stops me. She heard the cat, too. In fact, she said she heard two last night right outside her window, which is where, I might add, my birds live. We dash to the front window to look out and this time I pull open the curtains far enough for both of us to see the cat.

The cat looks at us for a minute and then dashes off to the bushes in front of Katie's window.

"Awww, how cute. Can we give it some water?" asks Katie.

Are you kidding? All I can say is that tomorrow morning my cardinals better still be there to wake me up. I like cats, but I love birds.

Cardinal Delight

This morning my beautiful red cardinal sang to me as I drank my coffee. I sat outside and listened to the melodious song as I also watched a dove perched below. I said my morning prayers and gave thanks to God for the wonderful day. Tomorrow is my birthday. I think Mary is thinking of me; I sure am thinking of her. The cardinal was also eating out of the birdfeeder in the front of the house just a few minutes ago as I was typing this, but I just wasn't quick enough to get a picture this time.

Do you remember the incident not long ago when the dove warned me that my dear friend who lives down the street was in danger? Well, she had some medical problems that needed to be taken care of and was gone for a while. While she was away, I wrote to her and sent her a card to let her know that I missed and loved her. Well, now she's back and can you believe she told me that when she read my card, a cardinal came up and sat on the picnic bench and just sat there! Everyone made a comment about it because they hadn't seen such a bright red cardinal in Louisiana like that in a long time. My friend knew this was something very spiritual and felt a sense of calmness inside- like everything would be okay.

God is good. I am thankful to know my Mary still thinks of me, just as I think of her.

Bird Messenger

Today I had another wonderful, beautiful spiritual experience. I was trying to get dinner ready for the kids, Pete was working and I was lamenting on my day of substitute teaching and how I wish my kids didn't have to go through the rigamarole of portable schooling next year while a new school is being built thanks to the passing of the school bond issue, when I heard Snowy barking nonstop. Wondering what could be causing such a fuss, I looked out the back window and saw that she was looking up and barking- as if something was on the roof. So I went outside to take a peak and there was a beautiful bird perched right on the edge. This bird sat as still as a statue as the dogs continued to bark ferociously at it. I sat down on a chair because I knew this was another sign, but I didn't yet know what. I sat and prayed for at least fifteen minutes and the bird still hadn't flown away. I could hear a cardinal singing, too. Nicholas called me in to help him with something and I darted in real quick and went right back out. The bird was still there. So I started asking God what kind of message was he trying to give me? I knew I had been wrapped up in a lot of things lately and maybe He wanted me to take some time to rest. So I sat. The dogs stopped barking and went off to play, but the bird stayed there. Time was marching...Katie needed to be at a friend's house for a sleepover soon. That's when I heard the ambulance and fire truck sirens blaring down the street. They were headed to my dear old friend Libby's house. Libby and I have known each other for more than twelve years and she is the one who we hunkered down with after hurricane Ike at her brother's house north of Dallas. Libby has had some problems through the years and I have tried to help her on numerous occasions with them. Anyway, I loaded up the kids to take Katie to her friend's house and then stopped by Libby and Frank's house. She had a seizure and they were trying to convince her to go to the emergency room. When she saw me barreling through the front door, she was calmed because I was there. I hugged her and told her to go and I would call her tomorrow. Right then and there I knew that Mary had sent that bird to alarm me...and I am so grateful for that. Thank you God!